1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a signal amplifying circuit in a CCD (Charge Couple Device) camera using an area image sensor for use in a device such as a monitoring video camera.
2. Background Information
Heretofore, as shown in FIG. 5, in a conventional CCD camera, a light signal passed through lens a is transduced into signal S1, by CCD sensor b. The signal S1 is a sampling held in CDS c as signal S1, the signal S1 is processed in processing circuit d and output from signal input part 1 as signal S2 as shown in FIG. 6.
This invention relates to processing circuit d which is explained in more detail. As shown in FIG. 5, OSC (oscillator) 2 generates a synchronizing signal, timing generator 3 drives a CCD, V driver 4 is an iris signal S4 output from processing circuit d for an automatic iris.
To obtain composite video signal S1, processing circuit d is constructed as shown in FIG. 7. Input signal S1 is amplified to a predetermined level V1 in AGC amplifier e and transduced into constant level signal S3. On the other hand, signal S4 amplified in fixed amplifier f is output as a control signal of a lens having an automatic iris or control signal for inputting a light limiting circuit.
Operation of above device is as follows:
Signal S3, AGC, amplified in AGC amplifier e is passed by low pass filter g, to remove a useless wide frequency component, passed through gamma correction circuit h, white clip circuit i, composite sync mixer j, driver k (matching to 75 ohm line) and output as a video output signal S2 shown in FIG. 6. In the composite video output signal, S2, the S/N (signal to noise) ratio is set to more than 40 dB (1%). This invention concerns the S/N ratio.